High density channel systems, such as computer network server systems and related components, are typically housed in equipment racks configured to assimilate a plurality of component devices (rack units). System equipment racks provide efficient organization for the plurality of components for ease of access, serviceability, expandability, power distribution, cooling, and the like.
A typical prior art system equipment rack includes power distribution, sequencing, and regulation units, and space to receive a plurality of component devices such as network servers, routers, mass storage devices, tape back-up devices, and other similar related component devices, in addition to providing for serviceability access, power cord routing, air circulation and the like. In typical prior art system equipment racks, generally accepted and standardized sizes for the various component devices (rack units) provide for efficient space utilization, ease and predictability of system configuration, serviceability, and facility location. A “rack unit” is generally accepted as being approximately 1.75 inches in height, and 17.5 inches in width, with a depth ranging from approximately 18 inches to approximately 36 inches to accommodate a plurality of component devices.
In a typical prior art system equipment rack, a plurality of component devices are stacked within the equipment rack in rack unit locations provided within the equipment rack, with a typical configuration accommodating up to 16 dual input component devices (rack units) or 32 single input component devices (rack units). In a bottom region of the system equipment rack, power sequencers having a usual dimension of approximately two rack units are positioned to provide power and power sequencing to the component devices housed within the system rack. Individual power cords are typically routed within the system equipment rack from the power sequencers upwards through the system equipment rack to each of the component devices (rack units). In prior art system equipment racks, the individual power cords are typically all routed together and attached to each of the respective rear panels of each of the component devices (rack units) so as to not interfere with the insertion or removal of the component devices (rack units) from the equipment rack when necessary or so as to not interfere with the serviceability access to the component devices (rack units).
However, as the demand for the intercommunication of greater amounts of information and data increases, so does the need to maximize the efficient utilization of available space in the equipment rack systems and in each of the individual component devices (rack units). As previously mentioned, the power connections for each of the component devices (rack units) of an equipment rack system are typically facilitated using the rear panel of the individual component devices (rack units). Such a connection, however, reduces the number of input and output connections that are able to be provided by the individual rack units because the power connections consume valuable space in the rear panel that could be more efficiently and effectively utilized for additional connections for the component devices. What is needed is an efficient rack unit design to increase capacity, serviceability, and economy of space requirements.